John Chapter 17, Verse 11
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11: και ουκ ετι ειμι εν τω κοσμω και ουτοι εν τω κοσμω εισιν και εγω προς σε ερχομαι πατερ αγιε τηρησον αυτους εν τω ονοματι σου ους δεδωκας μοι ινα ωσιν εν καθως ημεις
11: And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world,
and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name
those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we
are.
11: And now I am not in the world, and these are in the world, and I
come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name whom thou hast given
me: that they may be one, as we also are.
I am no more in the world. I have finished my work among men, and am about to leave the world. See Jn 17:4.
These are in the world. They will be among wicked men and malignant foes. They will be subject to trials and persecutions. They will need the same protection which I could give them if I were with them.
Keep. Preserve, defend, sustain them in trials, and save them from apostasy.
Through thine own name. Our translators seem to have understood this expression as meaning "keep by thy power," but this probably is not its meaning. It is literally "keep in thy name." And if the term name be taken to denote God himself and his perfections (See "Jn 17:6") , it means "keep in the knowledge of thyself. Preserve them in obedience to thee and to thy cause. Suffer them not to fall away from thee and to become apostates."
That they may be one. That they may be united.
As we are. This refers not to a union of nature, but of feeling, plan, purpose. Any other union between Christians is impossible; but a union of affection is what Jesus sought, and this he desired might be so strong as to be an illustration of the unchanging love between the Father and the Son. See Jn 17:21ff.
